Comments Thad Miller has made

Posts on adaptation

Dave,

I think this makes the previous discussion on adaptation all the more relevant -- http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/3/6/115722/7634. The people who are most vulnerable today to the impacts discussed in the IPCC WGII will not benefit from mitigation.

Phd Student, IGERT Urban Ecology Fellow, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Dave,

I do agree with you. My point is just that mitigation has been the primary focus of society's response thus far and adaptation has been viewed as a cop-out or fatalistic. I believe that view is mistaken as there are millions (perhaps not in the US, but certainly elsewhere) that are extremely vulnerable to weather and climate right now. Just as we have a responsibility to future generations to reduce GHG emissions and the impacts of climate change, we have a responsibility to the current (and future) generation to decrease vulnerability to climate change -- the impacts of which we are responsible for.

Phd Student, IGERT Urban Ecology Fellow, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Adaptation

While I applaud Andrew for mentioning adaptation as point #5, there is a glaring lack of discussion about it in subsequent posts -- and in the overall debate over our response to climate change.  While mitigation in the form of carbon taxes or cap-and-trade obviously warrants serious discussion, so to does adaptation.  To offer it no or just cursory consideration is, I believe, an entirely Western/developed world-centric stance.  

Briefly, adaptation's place in the debate over our response needs to be elevated to the same level as mitigation for the following reasons.  First, it seems that we are resigned to see potentially large impacts from climate change under even the most drastic emissions reductions scenarios.  Therefore, adaptation is not only desirable but absolutely necessary.  Second, to ask developing countries such as India to cut emissions (and likely energy use) while attempting to meet the Millennium Development Goals (and other poverty reduction programs) is unconscionable and impractical.  Third, adaptation makes sense across a wide range of scenarios; that is, even if certain impacts of climate change never end up happening, adaptation measures still make sense and contribute to other societal goals such as sustainable development and vulnerability reduction. Finally, and we can debate about this, adaptation requires action and local and regional levels which may help bring home some of the impacts of climate change.  In so doing, this may also help generate additional investments in fighting climate change -- namely, mitigation.

I implore you to response to this and get the debate over adaptation started. It is vital.

Phd Student, IGERT Urban Ecology Fellow, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Pielke more nuanced than this

I am going to have to disagree with you on your take on Pielke Jr. His argument is much more nuanced than you are making it out to be. Pielke argues that by focusing solely on mitigation we have put climate science in the middle of the political debate, requiring it to tell us definitively whether or not we should take mitigation measures. While there is a consensus on climate science now, we all know there is still uncertainty, as there is with all science (particularly when you are talking about the entire climactic system!). This uncertainty is exploited in the political debate as we have seen, and has led to political gridlock.

I am not sure what Pielke is saying in his testimony, however, some of his publications argue that there should be a renewed focus on adaptation (not to the exclusion of mitigation!). Talking about adaptation removes the debate about whether or not climate change is natural or human-induced as we must adapt to climate variability in whatever form is comes.

Unfortunately, such a nuanced argument about the politicization of science and society's response to climate change, is often misconstrued (what the Republicans may be doing) or misunderstood (what is happening on this blog).

Phd Student, IGERT Urban Ecology Fellow, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Personal Inspiration

Great list. But I would have to add Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac."  His essays "Thinking Like a Mountain" and "The Land Ethic" are a constant source of inspiration (and citation).

In addition, I would add William Dietrich's account of the spotted owl controversy in the Pacific Northwest, "The Final Forest."  This book inspired me to pursue environmental studies as a freshman in college.

Looking forward to reading "Cadillac Desert" now that I live in the Phoenix area.

Phd Student IGERT Urban Ecology Fellow School of Sustainability Arizona State University